Monday, November 30, 2009

Don't forget each week we have two Royal Court blog hops. I'm on Monday's hop list so today is a preview of the great new stamps being released Wednesday. Shhhh! Why wait til Wednesday to see the new December stamps! Today you can get a sneak peek!!!!! That means the other half of the QKD Design Team will feature the December releases on Wednesday's hop and the stamps will be available in the QKD store on that date. For both hops, and to start at the beginning to see all of the great projects, click on QKD. If you've been following the December preview blog hop, you came from my Monday blogging buddy, Kelly. Next up is my Stampin' Saturday partner, Penny.

I'm also taking on Queen Kat's challenge to post 12 Days of QKD Christmas. So check my blog daily for more stamping ideas.

My Design Team assignment for December is to create cards and tags with the new QKD December release Northern Exposure designed by the talented Jonathan Pitcher for Queen Kat Designs. Here's a preview of this great stamp set.When I saw these images, I immediately thought of the current weather transition in the Midwest (USA). Leaves and nuts are still drifting down from the trees, swirling in the air as they make their descent to the ground. We're putting away pumpkins and raking leaves. The cold wind blows in a light snow. Or we awake to a frost on the remaining leaves that crunch under foot. Any flowering plants now have a glittery coating. To me, Jonathan's snow people evoke this feeling of transition, made of snow but adorned with autumn's regalia.

I distressed the edges of a beautiful textured pressed cotton fiber paper for the background. Doesn't it look like those leaves are falling to the ground? I cut a strip of burlap to make a bow and added on top a Maya Road ribbon. After stamping and cutting out the images, I highlighted them with Copic markers and a glitter glue pen. A matching card stock mat and a kraft card, along with glittery leaves and berries complete the Northern Exposure transition card.

Don't forget to end your hop at the QKD store . There are some wonderful specials going on there! And be sure to use my special code for an additional 10% discount! Mark your calendar to return to the store on Wednesday when all of the December release stamps will hit the cyberspace shelves.And to see more great stamping ideas with these new releases, be sure to start at the QKD blog on Wednesday.Cyber Days Shipping Sale Save on shipping rates! Spend $20 get $2 shipping... Spend $50 get FREE Shipping... Spend $100 get FREE shipping & a FREE stamp set! (Good today through12/1/09)

Saturday, November 28, 2009

The day is almost over but I'm posting my Day 1 Christmas Card made with QKD stamps. Queen Kat challenged the Royal Court to post on their blogs 12 days of Christmas. I'm highly competitive and up for the challenge.This card is made with QKD stamp sets Russian Dolls and Christmas Greetings. The colors I own of Copic markers and the Graphic 45 Renaissance Faire patterned paper (2 double sided sheets = 4 patterns) went well together.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Today the QKD Royal Court Design Team is using a photo for inspiration.Don't forget each week we have two blog hops. I'm on Monday's hop list, but there is another hop on Tuesday. For both hops, and to start at the beginning to see all of the great projects, click on QKD. If you've been following the blog hop, you came from my new blogging buddy, Kelly. Next up is my Stampin' Saturday partner, Penny.Each month I have to remind myself that this is an inspiration challenge, not a color challenge---a particularly difficult concept this time around because this photo reminds me of my parlor. You may not see the similarity, but I picked up on the blue because my dining room is navy blue and white, while the parlor is white with navy blue. But then again this isn't a color challenge.SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION: With visions of formal rooms and Victorian decor swirling in my head, I came upon Tamra Davis' Victorian shoe tutorial on theCardLadies website. Everything just clicked together. I used her shoe pattern and the directions to make the ruffle. Everything else is my unique take on designing a shoe.

In my stash, I found this ornate cardstock from K& Co called Que Sera Sera Bird's Nest. Here is a photo of it before I cut it up for the Victorian shoe:I really got the most out of one sheet of paper.I placed the shoe pattern over the left side. I used that bottom left section for the scallop trim where I placed some sparkly buttons. I cut out one flower for the toe, one flower and the bird for the top of the shoe, and a butterfly for the heel. Then I discovered I didn't have anything for the ruffle. Much to my surprise (timing is everything), my sister-in-law delivered some beautiful felt flocked paper from my niece-in-law ---thanks, dear! I went crazy adding as many embellies as I could find in my stash. From the bird's beak, I hung a sign with a sentiment made with a QKD stamp. It was the perfect finishing touch. Then I had to figure out how to photograph the shoe, so I mounted it on some coordinating green cardstock. Here is the finished project:

Sunday, November 22, 2009

This week's sketch included a challenge to make a Christmas card that may be chosen for the Holiday Blog Hop. So I really wanted to make something totally unique.I started with a thin layer of drywall compound smeared onto my surface. When, partially dry, I use tools and deeply grooved stamps to make imprints. The top right corner is the imprint of a corner swirl stamp. When completely dry, the surface is ready to decorate. (I learned this technique at my Prairie Stampers Club meetings--Yea club!) I used Adirondak Metallics Gold Acrylic Paint Dabber for edging and to highlight the raised portions of the drywall compound. I further highlighted with a liquid gold glitter (no name), and a Marvy Twinklette gold pigmented glitter marker. While that was drying, I stamped my angel image (Angelic set by Olive Wimple) with Jet Black Archival ink and colored as follows: Copic E00 skin white; Copic RV 32 Shadow pink on the skirt, then covered with Ranger Pink Stickles; bodice filled in with a Sakura burgundy Gelly Roll glitter pen; wings and hair with the Twinklette gold glitter marker; violin with two shades of brown watercolor pencils and then blended. Grungeboard snowflake similarly is covered with gold paint and Stickles. I followed the lines of the pattern created in my drywall compound when I placed my two ribbons. The vertical ribbon I pleated and held together with glue dots. I also followed the curve of my swirl stamp when adhering the sprig of greenery as well as stamping the sentiment. A couple of metal embellishments and a Kaiser Kraft pearl complete the design. I then matted the image and the board onto some beautiful felt flocked burgundy paper (given to me by my niece-in-law). I couldn't help distressing the edges for a more vintage look. The angel image is placed with pop dots to level out the unevenness of the compound. I suggest placing the completed piece on a top-folded cardstock for a unqiue Christmas card that can also be used as a wall hanging.Thanks for looking.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

The 3rd anniversary QKD party continues. Welcome bloggers to a very special QKD Blog Hop. Today we're showcasing designer Kelly Kost. She designed this Cookie the Baker stamp for Queen Kat Designs. I used it to make the cover of this recipe book which is a Christmas gift for my daughter, who makes the best chocolate chip cookies ever!

If you give a mouse a cookie...then I had to make some gift tags for all of the goodies she's going to whip up and give away during the holidays.If you scroll down my blog, you'll see lots of ideas using QKD stamps. I'll be blogging more holiday ideas in the coming weeks. So use my special coupon code HH10 in the QKD store to get yourself set up with an additional 10% discount and some fun stamps for holiday crafting.

Don't forget to join me, the other Design Team members of the Royal Court, and Queen Kat, herself, for a live chat tonight at Paper Craft Planet. See details in the blog post below.

Now I'll tell a little story on myself. I visited Archivers and saw this recipe book with the Maya Road album with acrylic stand and the Cosmo Cricket papers. I thought it would be perfect for my Cookie the Baker stamp project. (Archivers is offering a class but I'm doing it my way, as usual). I snagged the patterned paper, but when I got home I realized I didn't buy any coordinating cardstock. So I spent one evening digging through all of my kit club packets and misc. papers I've collected (remember, I'm a paperholic) and came up with the perfect colors for the card stock (whew!) So even though I have to give them credit for the basic idea, my album will be unique with stamped images and other papers and embellies. You gotta luv inspiration wherever you find it! And today I found out Maya Road has some new minis which I plan to buy so that I can add a tiny chipboard spoon on the cover!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Welcome!! Thanks for coming for the celebration. QKD is turning 3 officially on Nov 19th. We are so excited to share this event with you. We have a fun week planned just for you!!

Scroll down for the Monday Royal Court blop hop to see what I created for the celebration.Come back tomorow, Thursday, to see my special project for our additional blog hop/stamp reveal!Snag my special coupon code: HH10 for an additional 10% off your order in the store!Join me Thursday evening for chatting on Paper Craft Planet.And make something for our challenges. You could be the winner of some FREE stamps!

Speaking of snagging, I snagged the special logo and posted it up above but don't click on it. It's not a live link. Instead, keep reading and click on this list below.

Monday, November 16, 2009

This is the beginning of a very special week for Queen Kat Designs. We're celebrating three years in business making acrylic stamps, right here in the USA! It would only make sense that the Design Team's color challenge for this week would be the official QKD colors: pink, purple, gray and white. Don't forget each week we have two blog hops. I'm on Monday's hop list, but there is another hop on Wednesday. For both hops, and to start at the beginning to see all of the great projects, click on QKD. If you've been following the blog hop, you came from my new blogging buddy, Kelly. Next up is my Stampin' Saturday partner, Penny. And be sure to come back here this Thursday, November 19, for a special blog hop. We'll be continuing the three year celebration with a very special stamp release.

Paint a cardboard Q with two coats of DecoArt Dazzling Metallic Silver Sage acrylic paint. Using clear VersaMark, stamp the QKD Funky Swirl randomly on the Q. Coat with Ranger super fine detail silver embossing powder and heat set until the powder turns to liquid silver. Stamp the QKD Kings Crown onto purple cardstock and cut out. Outline with Marvy Twinklette pigmented gold glitter marker. Embellish with Hero Arts pink pearls and some gold cord. Build up the back with cardboard and pop dots until it is the same depth as the Q. Glue the Q onto a Rosebud Scalloped Card by the Paper Company. Place the crown along side the top of the Q. Embellish the Q with pink and purple ribbons and stacked flowers topped with Ranger Rock Candy Stickles. Voila! A card fit for a queen! Happy Birthday/Anniversary, Queen Kat!

Don't forget to end your hop at the QKD store . There are some wonderful specials going on there!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

This week I literally followed the sketch because it was perfect for my beautiful papers and my Wa Loli stamp from Queen Kat Designs. I had purchased long ago both the white and black brocade papers with gold flowers. Mixed in with my gold card stock, I layered them up for a very rich effect. I used a Maya Road cardboard bird, covering it with the black paper and adding a gold fan for a wing. Boo to the rain which moved in here today and is planning to stay for several days. We're to get 2-4 inches of rain by Tuesday night. So no great photo shoots in the sunshine. Therefore, I'm sorry you can't see how my glitter gel pens decorated Wa Loli's top and bows in gold glitter, her stockings in red and golt glitter, for her purse--black glitter on the wings and red glitter on the heart, and red glitter lipstick. She is just "dazzling", if I do say so myself! After being so ill for two weeks, I'm finally feeling well and energized to catch up on my projects.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Make It Merry! There are 60 of us participating in this fun holiday hop. So if you started with me, please take the opportunity to view all of the wonderful projects by starting here: AdornitFor us, the merriment of the holidays starts at Thanksgiving when our immediate family shows up for a fun four day weekend. Usually about 28-30 are around to eat and play games. We rotate among the four homes, each of us taking a turn to host a family feast. Remaining a close family is very important to all of us, especially now that our children are young adults, many with families of their own. Home is where our feet may leave...but not our hearts! (Oliver Wendell Holmes)For this special blog hop, I was motivated to start my family heritage cookbook. Here are the first two pages:I used Graphic 45Domestic Goddess patterned papers, a square from Webster's PagesSweet as Apple Pie, and embellished with photos I took of my two apple recipes as well as the Queen Kat DesignsApple Days stamp that I colored in with my Copics. I love this QKD Apple Days stamp and have made a slide show for you to see the projects I've made using it. Included is a tag I made for a holiday hostess gift.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Today starts some fun at ADORNIT. As part of the QKD Design Team, I'm gearing up for ADORNIT's blog hop on Friday. But I took a break, looked at their blog, and saw that they posted a challenge to make a Christmas card in 30 minutes. With pre-made white scallops and signs, I should have been able to make more than one card in the alloted time, but I got engrossed in decorating my tree with those Hero Art Metallics that I recently bought. And I decided I needed to distress my sign and scallop with Ranger tea dye distress ink so they blended better with my patterned paper. I used two stamp sets from Queen Kat Designs: Fancy Christmas Stamp Set and Christmas Greetings Stamp Set. The tree image is very detailed and beautiful by itself, but I couldn't help adding a little bling! It IS the holiday season!

Today is Veterans Day. I am proud to be married to a veteran. Jamey Johnson just won song of the year for In Color on the CMA awards. I'm planning to scrap some heritage pages that fit the lyrics of that song. And if you click at the end of this sentence, it will take you to a You Tube video of the Oak Ridge Boys singing a most appropriate, touching song. Veterans Day

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

I'm on the Monday QKD blog hop, but there is another one going on Wednesday, the 11th. Please click on QKD to start at the beginning of the official blog and see what's been created by the rest of the Design Team. I posted for the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge using the QKD Russian Dolls stamp set. It's hard to be thinking about Christmas already. I've been ill for several days, and this is the first card I've made in a long time. It feels good to be back creating.

Monday, November 9, 2009

If you hopped on board here, please click on QKD to start at the beginning of the official blog and work your way back. I wouldn't want you to miss any of the great stamping creations made for today. If you've been following the blog hop, you came from my new blogging buddy, Kelly.This is the week for our sketch challenge on our Monday QKD blog hop. I flipped the sketch around and turned it inside out. Can you still see it? The vertical rectangle is the tree, the horizontal rectangle is my Airstream trailer made with an aluminum sheet; and the bow with some jingle bells, a felt snowflake, topped with a Hero Arts red Metallic Decor.Card background includes Red Tartan by Paper Pizazz; white card run through QuiKutz Snowflake embossing folder; green card stock. Scallop embellished with green calligraphy pen and red Twinklette gel glitter marker; Ranger Rock Candy Stickles on the tree ornaments and star.

We also are having a Fall Court Crop so I'm using this card for the Christmas card challenge. The challenge includes a greeting of some sort. My Merry Christmas greeting is printed on the ribbon!!!

Monday, November 2, 2009

Happy November and Welcome to the Monday QKD blog hop. If you hopped on board here, please click on QKD to start at the beginning of the official blog and work your way back. I wouldn't want you to miss any of the great stamping creations made for today. If you've been following the blog hop, you came from my new blogging buddy, Kelly.

I'm PREVIEWING what's to come for QKD on release day which is Wednesday, November 4th. That's the same day our new releases hit the QKD on-line store. I must confess that my favorite part of going to the movie theater is to watch the previews. How perfect is this? On the first Monday of each month, I get to preview for you one of the new QKD stamp releases. Today, meet Wa Loli, a beautifully detailed stamp created for Queen Kat Designs.I had fun working with this modern fashion trend but had to incorporate a traditional fan. Here are some of the products I used: gold German scrap, Wilton gold paper doily; puffy satin bats; Adirondack gold dabber paint, Copics and Prismacolor markers, white Souffle pen, white gel pen, black precision pen, Twinklette glitter markers, Black Diamond Stickles, Xmas Red Stickles, Spellbinders Nestabilities Circle diecuts. There are lots of Stickles on her purse and glitter bands on the bottom of her fashionable top which don't show up in the evening indoor lighting.

This is a big month for QKD. We're gearing up for the QKD Birthday hop and another release on November 19th.